My reaction to 2010 is something like, “Wait, that actually happened?” Weirdly, I feel I started the year on top (thanks to the success of Nic Cage Colorforms), came out defeated, but am somehow grateful for the experience.

I stayed in New York for a all of June (corollaries: gained ten pounds, have way less money); visited Marvel Comics HQ one morning and hung out in New Hope, PA that same afternoon.

I said goodbye to a dear friend, put on a hugely stressful art show (that I made the diorama up top for, which was seriously the most fun I’ve had working on an art project ever), and now have a cool memory of dropping off art at the condo of someone I admire.

I’m a little ashamed, however, that I only finished one new painting. I was still a little burnt out from 2009 (actually, I was burnt out from running full-steam all through 2008 but it took me a whole year to notice). But now I’ve had some time to decompress, I have some fiery stuff in my belly, and I’ve got seven paintings on the assembly line for 2011. At the very least, I’m aiming for “more than one.”

My absolute favorite thing about 2010, the thing that puts it ahead of every other dumb year, was being able to spend most of it with a girl who was out of this world.

I wish that were still the case, but as my pal Liz wrote in her Christmas card this year, “The past sucks. Future rules!” (You’d better be right, Liz!)